Caldas da Rainha - History
The town was founded by Dona Leonor, Queen of Portugal in 1485 and
has passed through history with little involvement in the many struggles
for power between the various warring armies. It is more a centre of
thermal cures, a bountiful fruit farming area and a productive ceramic
industry. Dona Leonor chose this location to be the seat for her
personal creation, the charitable Foundação da Misericórdia that is
still very active in Portugal today. The original purpose of the Foundation
was to build and manage hospitals and homes for the old and needy. Today,
the Foundation has spread its wings in obtaining funds and they run all
forms of Lotteries in Portugal! (Visit - Portugal History)

Caldas da Rainha - Description
In this town the original Chapel of the first Misericórdia hospital
was used as a base for the 15th Century present Igreja de Nossa Senhora
do Pópulo, designed and built by Diogo Boitac, the same
architect who created the imposing Mosteiro dos Jeróminos in Belém
in Lisbon. This Church is reputed to be the largest ever built within
Portugal. Other than this church the there are two more places of main
interest. The first is the Museu de José Malhoa that is named after
an accomplished artist of the late 19th and early 20th Century. This museum
also houses the works of his contemporaries, particularly that of the
equally famous ceramist Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro. The second place is
the Museu de Cerâmica housed in the old home of the Visconde de
Sacavém that has a large collection of hand painted objects including
tiles from the last two centuries. Also in this town is a national museum
devoted to the sport of Cycling.

Caldas da Rainha - Nearby Locations
Directly to the south of Caldas da Rainha is the outstanding
attraction of the walled town of Óbidos that is a must for every
tourist to Portugal. To its west lies the small fishing town of Peniche
that besides its excellent fish restaurants is also know for the
Fortaleza, an uncomfortable 16th Century fort that was used as a
prison for political prisoners during the dictatorship of Salazar. These
are rocky virtually uninhabited Islands that are basically reserved for bird
life. Slightly inland is the town of Alcobaça with its impressive
abbey.